Thank You
by Elsie Bubbles
Summary: Set immediately after ASiB. After she escapes Karachi, Irene needs a place to stay until she can leave London. Sherlock brings her to Molly's.


Molly was awakened late one night to the sound of loud, insistent knocking on her front door. Sleepily she wandered from her bedroom to the door, switching on lights as she did, finally standing on tip-toe to look through the peephole.

"What…?" she asked herself softly, unlocking the door and opening it, revealing Sherlock Holmes and … Someone.

"Molly," Sherlock muttered distractedly, walking past her quickly, pulling his companion along. Molly closed the door and locked it before taking in the scene in her sitting room.

Sherlock's… Friend? Pulled down their hood revealing her dark hair, bright eyes, and thin face. She looked… Worn. As if she hadn't slept in days, or at least had not slept _well_. Sherlock looked only marginally better, he was better at coping with little sleep, after all. Finally, Sherlock spoke, "Molly Hooper, this is Irene Adler. Irene, this is Molly."

Irene nodded to Molly, a smile on her lips. It took Molly all of five seconds before the name clicked in her brain, "Irene Adler? Sherlock I did Irene Adler's autopsy, remember? _You_ identified her body."

Sherlock grimaced, "Yes, well, Irene is quite talented in deceiving people, myself included. She is very much alive - with my help - and is on her way to America, incognito."

Molly felt her eyebrows raise, surprised at Sherlock's willingness to admit a defeat, but let it pass in favour of asking a more important question, "So, why are you both here?"

Sherlock opened his mouth to speak, but Irene cut him off, "I need a place to stay – to hide, really – until my flight. No one can know that I'm in London or that I'm alive…"

"And so I'm no one?" Molly asked angrily, directing her question to Sherlock.

"Not _no one_," he explained tightly, "You are one of the few people I can trust with anything, and the _only_ person I can trust with this. John and Mrs. Hudson can't know, that rules out Baker Street. Mycroft can never even suspect, so his help is out. Lestrade's work too close to the government, he's out. It's only you, Molly."

She eyed him skeptically before turning back to Irene, "When is the flight?"

"Tuesday," Irene replied, relief washing across her features.

Molly sighed, "Come on, my spare bed is made up."

Irene and Sherlock followed Molly through the flat and into the extra room across the hall from Molly's room.

"Thank you, Molly," Irene murmured as she entered the room, "Thank you so much."

Molly smiled briefly, "The loo is the next door down. I don't work tomorrow, so hopefully you'll be able to sleep without me waking you."

Irene nodded and moved to the bed in the corner of the room.

"I'll pick you up on Tuesday," Sherlock commented before moving back to the sitting room. Molly closed Irene's door and followed Sherlock.

"Thank you, Molly."

Molly nodded warily, "Are you going to Baker Street?"

"Yes. I have surveillance for you, though you really need not be concerned. Everyone thinks her to be dead."

"All right," she said, yawning all the while. Sherlock smiled, "Good night, Molly Hooper. And thank you again."

Molly felt his lips brush her forehead and then he was gone again. She locked the door and made her way back to bed, locking her own bedroom door before surrendering herself to sleep once more.

When she woke again it was ten o'clock in the morning. Molly lay quietly, listening for sounds of life from the mysterious woman occupying her flat.

Silence.

She rolled out of bed and pulled on a dressing gown before venturing beyond her room.

Molly set about her regular off-day schedule and almost forgot about her guest until mid-afternoon when the woman emerged from the spare room. She seemed almost timid as she approached the kitchen where Molly was preparing tea.

"Would you mind if I used your shower?"

"No, of course not," Molly spoke, "Towels are under the counter. And there is a dressing gown on the hook, if you'd like."

Irene nodded and turned, moving back to toward the bathroom, "Is there anything you'd like to eat?" Molly asked.

"No, thank you Molly," she said, turning her head as she walked, "I don't think I can eat. Tea would be lovely, though. If it's not too much trouble."

"I'll keep the pot on the stove," Molly returned.

It was well after Molly ate dinner before she felt she could ask Irene where she had been.

"Karachi," Irene replied stoically, "Sherlock saved me from execution."

Molly's eyebrows raised in surprise, unable to hide her shock. Irene smiled at her expression, "I'm hardly the worst criminal you've come across."

"No, I… Didn't mean to come off like that."

"I know. You're very sweet. But strong… Sherlock speaks very highly of you. Well, when he's in the mood to speak he does."

Molly snorted in disbelief.

"He trusts you, truly. Perhaps he doesn't return your more romantic feelings, but he does trust and rely on you. You're very special to him."

Molly only shook her head, still not really believing Irene's words. Another question entered her mind, "Did you… And he…? It's just, he identified that body without the help of a face. He seemed so sure of himself…"

"No. He was able to do that simply because I let him. He was attempting to confiscate my… Insurance. On our first meeting."

"Insurance?"

"My camera phone."

Molly nodded her understanding as silence fell about the women. Slowly, the odd pieces of the last year were beginning to make sense. The remainder of the evening was quiet, neither woman needing or wanting more information from the other. Instead, the television played before them until Molly decided it was time she went to bed.

"What time is Sherlock coming tomorrow?"

"Nine. In the morning."

Molly nodded and left Irene with the television while she sought the sanctuary of the shower.

She was settled, reading in bed when a knock on her door startled her to reality.

"Come in," she called.

Irene walked in and closed the door, her earlier timidity gone. She sat at Molly's side and spoke, "I wanted to thank you again, Molly. Properly."

"It's fine, really."

"No, it isn't. You opened your home to stranger because _Sherlock Holmes_ asked you, and he certainly won't thank you suitably."

"He thanked me," Molly defended.

Irene smiled, "With words, yes. But I'm going to thank you _properly_."

Suddenly, Irene's lips were pressed against Molly's in a soft, gentle kiss. Irene pulled away slightly and Molly realised she had closed her eyes. They opened just in time for Irene to pull in again. This time, Molly was ready; she pushed aside her timidity and kissed back. Soon, Irene was coaxing Molly's mouth open and pushing her tongue inside. Moly shivered as Irene's tongue stroked her own.

As their kiss deepened, more of Molly's inhibitions lowered. She found herself moaning as Irene's body shifted closer to her own, enabling Irene to cup Molly's breasts, to thumb her nipples through the large shirt hiding her petite body. Molly's hands had found their way into Irene's hair, tugging gently as waves of pleasure washed through her body.

Somehow, without Molly truly noticing, Irene had pulled the blankets and sheets away from Molly's body. She felt Irene's fingers playing with the hem of the oversized shirt as the woman's teeth nipped at Molly's ear.

"Molly," she whispered breathily, making Molly shiver, "If you wish to stop, now would be the time to say so."

Molly pulled back and looked into Irene's eyes. She bit her lip before snaking her arm forward, pulling the tie of Irene's dressing gown, revealing her body. She grinned at Irene who in return pulled Molly's shirt slowly up her body, kissing her exposed skin as it was revealed. Irene tossed the shirt behind her and shrugged out of her dressing gown before diving forward. Her lips wrapped around one of Molly's nipples, sucking and flicking until Molly was crying out in pleasure.

Soon, Molly's trepidation flew away completely. Her hands snaked about Irene's lithe body, grasping and massaging down her back. Molly's hand finally landed on Irene's round arse. Irene's mouth was moving down her partner's body and as she neared the waistband of Molly's knickers, Molly's hands slid down, around, to skirt over Irene's exposed, moist pussy. Molly had slipped a finger inside Irene before the woman laughed, "No, no, Miss Molly, none of that today. _I_ am thanking _you_."

Irene moved away, forcing Molly's hands to drop away. With a kind smile, Irene grabbed Molly's hands and placed them to cup her own breasts, "My hands will be a bit busy for the next while," she purred.

Molly felt her hips lifting automatically as Irene pulled her knickers away, leaving her open and waiting. Irene moved slowly, sensually, until she could kneel between Molly's legs. Molly yelped as Irene's hands grasped around her knees and hitched them over her shoulders. She could _just_ feel Irene's breath against her heated centre as she pinched her nipples desperately.

"Not quite close enough, are we Molly?"

Molly moaned in response and yelped once more as Irene pulled her closer still, dragging her body up by the waist. She could only just hear Irene sigh 'perfect' before her mouth attacked Molly's ready pussy.

Molly could only moan and thrust herself forward as Irene feasted on her. It was excruciating pleasure as Irene's tongue flicked at her, as she sucked on Molly's folds, as two fingers pushed deep inside he while her clit was wrapped between Irene's lips. When she thought she was about to come, Irene seemed to sense it and pulled away. Molly cried out desperately as Irene nipped her inner though, brought her hand forward to grasp Molly's breast with slick fingers. When Molly's breathing calmed, Irene dove in once more.

Tears streamed down Molly's face as she begged to come. Irene's tongue was wriggling deep inside her, her nose pressing against Molly's clit. As she wailed 'please' Irene pulled away, "Well, because you said 'please'…"

Her tongue was replaced by fingers thrusting in and out of her while Irene suckled Molly's clit until Molly squealed in completion.

Molly vaguely registered Irene setting her body back against the mattress and covering her with sheets. She was suddenly standing at Molly's head, gently soothing hair from her face.

"Good night, Molly. And thank you."

Irene moved back to her room, shutting off Molly's light and closing the door behind her.

* * *

Weelll! I hope that was enjoyable! It's my first time writing two women, so any comments would be seriously appreciated.

You can find me on Tumblr, .com - Come play!


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